1/13/04"Good Samaritanism starts in the home as parents teach children by
example and precept. Acts of assistance, kindness, and concern among
family members reinforce the desire to 'go, and do thou likewise.' (Luke
10:37)" - H. David Burton, "Go,
and
Do Thou Likewise," General Conference, April 1997

3/25/04"President Wilford Woodruff recalled a meeting at which the
Prophet Joseph Smith said to Brigham Young, 'Brother Brigham I want
you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the
written oracles and the written word of God.' Brigham Young is
reported to have laid the scriptures, one by one, before him and then
indicated he felt the words of the living prophet were more important
than the writings before him because the words of the living oracles
convey the word of God to us in our day. President Woodruff went on to
say, 'When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation:
Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you
the truth' (in Conference Report, Oct. 1897, pp. 22-23)." - H. David
Burton, "I
Will Go," Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 43

8/17/05"A successful baseball pitcher
is able to hurl the ball with velocity and accuracy. His pitches are
disguised in order to deceive the batter. A pitcher, by changing his
grip on the ball or the way he releases it from his hand, makes the
ball curve, slide, drop, wobble, or slow down as it approaches the
batter. In baseball, good pitchers, like Nolan Ryan, are masters at
deceiving batters.

"In life, he who is the greatest deceiver of all has tremendous
influence. He has many names but is best known as Satan, or the
devil. And he knows that 'ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood.' (1 Pet.
2:9.)

"Make no mistake about it, my young brethren, Satan is the commander
in chief of deception. He is not satisfied with just taking
prisoners; he wants the souls of men. One of his insidious
strategies is to progressively soften our senses regarding what is
right and wrong. Satan would have us convinced it is fashionable to
lie and cheat. He encourages us to view pornography by suggesting
that it prepares us for the real world. He would have us believe
immorality is an attractive way of life and that obedience to the
commandments of our Father in Heaven is old-fashioned. Satan
constantly bombards us with deceptive propaganda desirably packaged
and carefully disguised. Satan creates false heroes which, if
emulated, will lead us to the depths of sin." - H. David Burton, "Heroes,"
Ensign, May 1993, 46

8/18/05"The season of opportunity
that awaits us today, in temple service, is different from that of
the past. We are not expected to pound nails, carve stone, mill
lumber, pour concrete, or physically participate in the construction
of temples. We are, however, extended a marvelous opportunity to
faithfully pay our tithes so temple construction and the work of the
Lord may go forward. We are also challenged to be worthy to offer
ourselves in the service of providing sacred saving ordinances for
those who have preceded us. Very simply stated, the great
opportunity of Latter-day Saint families is to see that the lights
of our temples burn early and late in the day. Perhaps we could
create the need for them to burn all night as they do presently on
weekends in several temples." - H. David Burton, "A
Season of Opportunity," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 11

12/26/05"In a recent training meeting for stake and ward councils
held as a part of a stake conference I attended, well-prepared
presentations centered on the opportunities to be inclusive rather
than exclusive in reaching out and touching new and less-active
individuals, as well as those not members of our church. Sister Laura
Chipman, a stake Young Women president, suggested five Is to help us
to be inclusive in our outreach. They are: (1) Introspection—Are we
inadvertently communicating an exclusionary attitude? (2) Identify—Do
we know the recently baptized, the less-active, or nonmembers who
reside in our neighborhoods and communities? (3) Individualize—Do we
seek to know the interests, talents, and skills of those we wish to
fellowship? (4) Invite—Do we include neighbors and friends in
appropriate activities? (5) Involve—Are there ways we can utilize the
skills, talents, and abilities of those we wish to include?" - H.
David Burton, "A
Season of Opportunity," Ensign (CR), November 1998, p.9

9/8/06
"I overheard a conversation between golfing great Arnold Palmer and a
young caddie he was using for the first time. The young caddie, while
handing Mr. Palmer his club, told him the distance to the flag was 165
yards, there was an unseen stream on the left, and a long and
treacherous rough on the right. In a very kind but firm way, Mr.
Palmer reminded the young man that the only information he required
was the distance to the hole. He further suggested he didn't want to
lose focus by worrying about what was on the right or left.

"It is easy to lose sight of the really important objectives of life.
There is much to distract us. Some are floundering in the water
hazards on the left, and others are finding the long, treacherous
rough on the right insurmountable. Safety and success come when focus
is maintained on the important opportunities found by driving the ball
straight down the middle—priesthood advancement, temple worthiness,
and missionary service. And that's the way it is." - H. David
Burton, "And
That's the Way It Is," Ensign (CR), May 2003, p.48

12/27/09“Brothers and
sisters, we need not be a part of the virtue malaise that is
penetrating and infecting society. If we follow the world in
abandoning Christian-centered virtues, the consequences may be.
Individual faith and fidelity, which have eternal consequences, will
diminish. Family solidarity and spirituality will be adversely
impacted. Religious influence in society will be lessened, and the
rule of law will be challenged and perhaps even set aside. The seedbed
for all that plagues the natural man will have been planted, to the
sheer delight of Satan.

“We
need to stand tall and be firmly fixed in perpetuating Christlike
virtues … in our everyday lives. Teaching virtuous traits begins in
the home with parents who care and set the example. A good parental
example encourages emulation; a poor example gives license to the
children to disregard the parents’ teachings and even expand the poor
example. A hypocritical example destroys credibility.” – H.
David Burton, “Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts,” Ensign, November
2009

7/9/11"The virtues
expressed in 'More Holiness Give Me' fall into several groups. Some are
personal goals, like more holiness give me; more strivings within; more
faith, gratitude, and purity; more fit for the kingdom; more purpose in
prayer; and more trust in the Lord. Others center on adversity. They
include patience in suffering, meekness in trial, praise for relief,
strength to overcome, freedom from earth stains, and longing for home.
The rest firmly anchor us to our Savior: more sense of His care; more
pride in His glory; more hope in His word; more joy in His service; more
tears for His sorrows; more pain at His grief; more blessed and holy;
and more, Savior, like Thee. More of these virtues is better. Less is
not desirable." - David Burton, "More
Holiness Give Me," Ensign (CR), November 2004, p.98

7/5/12
Jesus Christ is the magnificent example of courage in hearkening to the
will of the Father.

The wise Psalmist said, “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord” (Ps.
31:24; emphasis added).

President Thomas S. Monson explained courage by saying, “Courage becomes
a living and attractive virtue when it is regarded not as a willingness
to die manfully, but the determination to live decently” (in Conference
Report, Apr. 1972, p. 72). - H. David Burton, "Courage
to Hearken," Ensign (CR) May 1994

9/16/15If you find yourself
entrapped in the pursuit of material things, now is the time to
courageously stand tall. If you worship the items that money can buy
more than you cherish the love of God, now is the time to stand
tall. If you have been blessed with abundance beyond your needs, now
is the time to stand tall in sharing with those whose needs remain
unfulfilled. - H. David Burton, "Standing
Tall," Ensign (CR), November 2001, p. 65